Trails along the Cambrian Line

Before Christmas, I caught the train to Aberystwyth with time to spare and found myself walking down a beautiful, unexpected tree‑lined avenue. Crossing the bridge into town, I found the government building that houses the Wales Coast Path and National Trails team, I grabbed a coffee and settled in for an interesting conversation with Rhys Thwaites‑Jones, Swyddog Hyrwyddo Llwybrau Cenedlaethol a Llwybr Arfordir Cymru/Wales Coast Path and National Trails Promotion Officer based in Aberystwyth but covering all of Wales.

Rhys Thwaites‑Jones, Swyddog Hyrwyddo Llwybrau Cenedlaethol a Llwybr Arfordir Cymru/Wales Coast Path and National Trails Promotion Officer

Rhys’s role is simple in description and broad in impact: he promotes the Wales Coast Path and the network of National Trails across Wales. His priorities are clear and practical: connecting communities, developing circular routes, and improving access by public transport. Those three aims make the trails more useful, more inclusive, and more likely to be used year‑round.

National Trails are the flagship routes of the public rights of way network. They are long-distance paths through some of Wales’s finest scenery and provide an ideal way to discover the Welsh countryside.

We talked about Glyndŵr’s Way, which intersects the Cambrian line at Machynlleth and Welshpool, and how the trail’s name and status are woven into Welsh history and identity. It’s another reminder that every station and stretch of track along the Cambrian Line has a story to tell.

Rhys is already working with content creators to bring those stories to life. He mentioned Steffan Rees, who received one of our Railway 200 Community Grant Funds to produce a Welsh‑language video about circular walks and travelling by train for free during the quieter months.

Steffan’s other work, which includes Vlogging — walking, filming, and highlighting local food and hospitality — is exactly the kind of authentic content that helps people imagine a day out and then make it happen.

Small discoveries — like the tree‑lined path I didn’t know existed — are the heart of why people walk. Pairing those moments with practical, well‑promoted rail access and local storytelling makes it easier for more people to find them.

Meeting Rhys felt like the start of something practical and promising: a way to connect communities, celebrate place, and get more people out on the trails by train.